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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

' L. HILLS.

ELECTRIC SEARCH LIGHT.

No. 484,964. PatentedOot. 25, 1892.

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(No Model.)

L. HILLS. ELEGTRIG SEARCH LIGHT.

No. 484,964. Patented Oct. 25,1892.

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PATENT FFIQE-Q LOUIS HILLS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SEARCH-LIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,964, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed fieptember 24, 1891. Serial No. 406,627. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS HILLS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Electric Search-Lights, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of pro ectors or search-lights, in which a suitable parabolic or other reflector is combined with a source of light, such as an electric-arc lamp,

and means for swinging the projector in a vertical or a horizontal plane, so as to project a beam of light at any desired vertical or horizontal angle.

My invention is designed more particularly for electric search-lights so far as concerns the means for establishing electric connection with the arc lamp mounted in the projectorcasing.

The invention consists, first, in a novel combination of mechanism for swinging the projector in a vertical or a horizontal plane at pleasure, and, secondly, in improvements in the manner of mounting the horizontallyrotatable frame carrying the lamp and reflector and of making the electrical connection between the said frame or parts carried thereby and the fixed support on which it is mounted.

The invention consists, further, in details of construction, all of which will be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention, the parts of the same being shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the apparatus at the part where the horizontally-rotatable frame rests upon its support. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the parts by means of which electrical connection is formed at this point. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 5 shows in detail one of the pivots supporting the projector, the end of the pivot being shown in section. Fig. 6 shows the end of one of the flexible conductors by means of which connection is established upon the movable portion of the apparatus. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the clamp-nut used with the pivot, Fig. 5. p

A indicates a frame, which is adapted to swing in a horizontal plane and upon which the projector is pivoted so as -to be capable of swinging in a vertical plane. The frame A is preferably made as a U-shaped frame and is mounted in turn upon a suit-able standard B, as will be presently described.

The projector-case (indicated at 0) contains the usual parabolical reflector and are lamp, which are not, however, shown in detail, as they do not constitute my presentinvention.

D is a stem or shaft extending downward through the support B and attached in any suitable manner to the bottom of the frame A, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the said frame may be rotated in a horizontal plane from beneath the support B. The stem D may be provided with a suitable handle D attached to its lower end as may be desired. By this means the horizontal angle of the beam of light may be changed at pleasure. The vertical angle of the beam of light is changed by means of a Wheel or wheels E, carried on a suitable horizontal spindle or shaft E which has its bearings in a frame or support E mounted upon or forming a part of the frame A, as clearly shown in the drawings, which wheel or wheels gear directly with a segmental gear or gears F, fixed upon the bottom of the projector-casing O, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The wheel or wheels E are rotated in any suitable way from beneath the frame Aas, for instance, by a belt or chain G, which passes over a sprocket or other wheel G secured to the spindle upon which the wheels E E are mounted. The belt or chain G extends down into or below the support B, and by operating the chain it is obvious that the projector 0 will be caused to turn upon its pivot, so as to change the vertical angle of the beam of light. While the chain or cord G might be operated by hand, if desired, I prefer to operate it by means of a second wheel G attached to a shaft mounted in suitable bearings at the lower end of the stem D, so as to be supported thereby and rotated therewith. The horizontal shaft G carrying wheel G is provided with an operatinghandle or handles" G, by which it may be turned in a vertical plane, so as to rotate the wheels E, andthereby swing the projector in a vertical plane.

For the purpose of holding the projector at any desired vertical inclination I provide a catch H, which is mounted upon an arm H fastened to the lower end of the stem D, or the handle thereof and which maybeslid out or in to engage with the wheel G which is preferably a sprocket-wheel, so as to lock or unlock said wheel. The said catch might be arranged to engage simply with the links of the chain G, when a chain is employed for connecting the wheels G and G As will be seen, after the projector has been turned to any vertical angle it,may be turned by means of the stem D in a horizontal plane, with the vertical angle unchanged. It will also be seen that, the projector having been turned horizontally to throw the beam upon anydesired point, then the mechanism for rotating the wheels E may be unlocked and the vertical angle changed in any desired position. It will be obvious that the hand-wheel D is not necessary and that the stem D might be turned by taking hold of the wheel G The electrical connection with the-rotatable frame or support A is formed by meansof two continuous metallic rings I I, which are men nted upon the upper face of the standard B and are engaged by suitable contacts carried at the under side of the horizontal plate A forming the base or lower end of the frame A. Heretofore the connection to the conductors upon the frame A has been made by means of a second pair of rings upon the under side of the base A which rings rest directly upon the rings I and sustain the weight of the frame of the lamp and projector. This construction has proved faulty in practice because of the inequalities of electrical contact, which gives rise to arcing and produces roughness of the bearing-surfaces, thus causing resistance to free rotation of the frame. In place of this construction I propose to employ independent mechanical bearings for the base A upon the support B-such, for instance, as roller-bearings-and to use in connection with the two continuous contact-rings suitable spring-contacts carried by the opposite portion of the apparatus. As will be obvious, the continuous rings might be either upon the rotating frame or upon the supportB; but for the sake of simplicity I have shown them mounted upon the support B.

The spring-contacts which I employ upon the rotating part of the apparatus in place of the rings heretofore employed may be constructed as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein 1' indicates a plate-sprin g, which is attached directly to the lower end of a stem or rod K, that extends down through the base A and is insulated therefrom by a suitable bushing of insulating material, as shown. The lower end of the stem K, which is of conducting material, such as copper or brass, carries the spring 1', having two free ends restingupon a ring I. The upper end of the stem 1s provided with aclamping-nut K which 15 adapted to clamp one end of a flexible conductor through which the electrical connection is made with ,the lamp in the projector, as will be presently described. A suitable insulating-washer i is provided to prevent contact of the conducting-washer '5 with the base A. The terminal of the flexible conductor is clamped between the nut K and the washer '11". Gonn'ection is made with each of the rings I by a similar device. The mechanical bearing of the frame or base A upon B is by means of rollers L, which work in a groove in the frame B, or bywother suitable antifrictionbearings. A flange or hood L is attached to the edge of the base A and extends down over the topof the frame B to protect the contact devices from the weather.

One of the terminals of the flexible con- *ductor used with the device is shown in Fig. 6. L is the usual flexible conductor, provided with a suitable insulating-cover L Theter-' Lminal consists of a plate or ring L cut away at one side to permit it to readily slip upon the end of the'stem or rod K and clamped in place by the nut-K The pivots of the projector are indicated at Maud are shown enlarged in Fig. 5. These pivots rest, preferably, in journal-bearings such asindicated in Fig. 4- -formedon theupper end of the U shaped frame A, which journal-bearings-are open or unprovided with a journal-bearing cap at the top or with a readily-removable cap, so as to permit the projector to be readily unshipped in case of severe weather when the device is usedon shipboard. As will be seen, the projector may be lifted out of the bearings without unshipping any part of the mechanism for rotating or swinging it. On the end of each pivot and projecting therefrom,preferably in the same axial line therewith, is a bindingpost P, which is provided with a rather-wide flange P and a screw-threaded shank P, which sets into a mass of insulation R, protecting the binding-post and flange from electrical connection with the pivot M. The bushing or piece of insulating material R is-suitably fastened into a socket in the end of the pivot M or otherwise secured in place thereon and is pierced at its inside in line with the shank of the binding-post, so as to permit an electrical conductor which runs through the hollow pivot M to make electrical connection with the binding-post. This conductor may be the usual insulated conductor, the bared end of which may be fastened by soldering or otherwise to said binding-post, while its other terminal is properly connected with a terminal of the arc lampin the usual way.

P is the clamping-nut, which screws upon the binding-post P and is adapted to clamp a terminal, like L, Fig. 6, upon the flange P The flexible conductor or connection-such as already described and indicated in dotted lines at L Fig. 1being provided at its opposite end with a terminal, like L and said terminals being clamped, respectively, by means of the nuts P and K an electrical connection will be established from a ring I to the conductor within the pivot of the proj ector. The rings I are themselves connected, as usual, as is well understood in the art, with the conductors through which the current for running the lamp is supplied. As will be seen on reference to. the drawings, both connections for the lamp-that is to say, both the positive and the negativeare made through the pivots, one connection by one pivot and the other by the other pivot I do not limit myself to the precise construction of clamp or binding-post shown, as other forms of the same and ways of mounting the same upon the pivot of the projector for connection with an electrical conductor extending through said pivot will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The lock-pin H, already described, provides for the locking of the projector in any suitable angle by the operator at the point beneath the support B; but in case of derangement of this device or of themechanism for turning the projector in a vertical plane from beneath it is desirable to provide for the rotation of the projector directly by hand and the locking of the same in any desired vertical angle. For this purpose I provide upon one of the pivots M a suitable j am-nut T,having a handle T by means of which said jamnut may be operated to clamp the projector in any vertical angle to which itmay have been turned by taking hold of the projector itself. The jam-nut engages, as shown, with a screw-thread upon the exterior of the pivot.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a projector or search-light, the combination,substantially as described,of the horizontally-rotatable frame, the projector pivoted thereon to swing in a vertical plane, a gear wheel or wheels carried by said frame, a segmental gear upon the bottom of the proj ector, engaging directly with said wheels, and an operating chain or cord passing over a wheel upon the same shaft with said gearwheel and extending down beneath the support for said rotatable frame, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination,with the projector pivoted to turn in a vertical plane, of a horizontally-rotatable frame carrying the same, a gear wheel or wheels mounted on a horizontal shaft on said frame and engaging directly,-

3. In aprojector or search-light, the combi nation, substantially-as described, with the vertical stem or rod extending downward from the horizontal rotatable frame, of a Wheel mounted at the lower end thereof to turn in a vertical plane, a chain or belt passing around the same and connected with mechanism for turning the projector in a vertical plane, and a catch or look engaging with said wheel or belt, as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, substantially as described, in a search-light or pro ector, of rings I I, mounted upon the upper face of a support or standard, but insulated therefrom, a rotatable support for the pro ector, carrying rods K, passing down through openings provided with insulating-bushings in the said frame, plate-springs 5, attached directly to the lower ends of said stems and bearing upon the rings, and clamping devices at the upper ends of said stems or rods, as and for the purpose described.

5. In a search-light or projector, the comb1- nation, with the pivots therefor, of bindingposts projecting from the ends of said pivots, but insulated therefrom, as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with an electric searchlight, of the hollow pivots M and binding: posts projecting from the ends of said pivots and having a stem or shank arranged in line with the opening through the pivot, as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination, in a search-light or projector, of the hollow pivots M, bindingposts P, having flanges P and the insulating-bushings R, as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, with the hollow pivot M, of a binding-post P, projecting from the end of the pivot in line with its axis and hav: ing the threaded shank P3, seated in the 1nsulation R, a flange P and a binding-nut P 9. The combination, in an electric searchlight, of the rotatable frame carrying the pivoted projector, suitable binding posts or clamps mounted on the base of said frame and in electricalconnection with traveling or movable contacts engaging with contacts upon the support for the apparatus, insulated binding-posts secured upon the pro ecting ends of the pivots for the projector, and flex ble electrical conductors having their termr nals clamped, respectively, by the latter binding-post and by the post carried on the base of the frame.

Signed at New York, inthe countyof New York and State of New York, this 9th day of September, A. D. 1891.

v LOUIS HILLS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, T. F. CONREY. 

